Hostage
by AndiKaneUnderwood
Summary: Milo was taken hostage. During the time he was there, he had unspeakable things happen to him that he suffers from. Here is how it goes. Milo tries to make it through until he can get better and his family try to help him. (Rated T because of PG13 themes)
1. What Did They Do?

What Did They Do

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

 **Milo, Zach, and Melissa are specially trained operations and work as a team alongside Mort, they're also aged up to about 18/19.**

 _I've finally rescued you from that science lab that those scientists brought you to after they kidnapped you and_ oh, God what did they do to you?

 _MML~MML~MML_

Zakiya Underwood (better known as Zak), for all intents and purposes, thought herself to be a good Alpha. She was attentive, patient, and kind. She took care of her Omega and she didn't understand why this had happened to him. He was a good kid and very optimistic.

Her Omega, Milo Murphy (who "suffered" from Murphy's Law, as did his father Martin), had been kidnapped by scientists to discover why Murphy's Law did what it did and wreaked havoc on his life.

To Zak that translated to:

Dissect and leave nothing uncovered.

And _damn_ if that didn't trigger Alpha rage.

It triggered Melissa's too, but the pair where very different Alphas, and so where the Rages.

She hasn't seen Milo in two months, nor had she felt anything through the Bond. Milo would never shut down their Bond. He loved being able to talk without speaking and share feelings and thoughts. So it was troubling she couldn't feel it. She knew it was the scientists fault.

God, what Zak wouldn't do to go back in time and stop Milo from going in that building. But you couldn't stop Milo from saving people.

Especially when he knew he could and he was only one up to the task.

 _MML~MML~MML_

 _"Milo, it's unstable!" Zak warned, helping Mort up and grabbing Milo's arm to stop him._

 _"I have to help them, Zak. I'm the only one who can help, I've worked like this all my life, and I can do it." Milo replied, tugging on his hold with the pleading puppy dog eyes no one could resist._

 _Zak paused a minute, looking into those eyes. "Milo, you're only a few days away from Heat." She began, but seeing the beg poised on her Omega's lips, she sighed and relented. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she groaned, "Oh, I'm gonna regret this when we get back to base. Okay, go on, but be careful."_

 _Milo grinned brightly and when he leaned in to press a kiss to Zak's cheek,_ _Zak could smell the mix of the dog Milo owned, strawberries, and almonds. "I love you." She whispered, lightly taking Milo's hand, one of Milo's Soft Points **(1)** , and rubbing the back with her thumb._

 _"I love you, too. I'll be right back." He promised, and then he was gone._

 _The people he'd gone to get came out. Milo didn't._

 _Zak waited until the police got on scene, but Milo didn't return._

 _When Zak went to investigate, all she found was Milo's backpack, a test tube, and a hand written note in his writing that spoke only one word._ Help.

 _MML~MML~MML_

Zak growled low in her throat as she stared through the binoculars. They'd finally gotten permission to go after Milo after two months and a threat from Zak.

(No one wanted to mess with a Bonded pair, much less Bonded _SoulMates_ (because that's exactly what they where). It was safe to say that, yeah, Zak would get her way.)

She could see the scientists that had taken Milo. But she couldn't see Milo.

She hoped that he was okay; her poor Omega had already gone through two Heats without her.

( _One_ Heat without an Alpha at least present could have fatal effects on the Omega since they wouldn't be aware once post-Heat hit. _Two_ was just suicide.)

Then she growled. No self respecting Alpha would leave an Omega alone during Heat. The mere _thought_ of someone else touching _her_ Omega like that.

Oh, they'd wish they'd never been _born_.

 _MML~MML~MML_

Milo gasped, wreathing against the sheets, trying to stop the heat creeping up his body.

They'd injected him with some kind of chemical that mimicked Omega Heats to see what Murphy's Law would react like when he was aware.

If they'd have simply come to him and _asked_ he'd have told them everything he knew if he knew it.

But no, they had to kidnap him and shove him in a too-small containment room that was barely big enough for a _bed_ and run experiment after test after experiment to see what Murphy's Law did and how it worked.

Jeez, could this be over? He missed Melissa and Mort. He missed his Mom and Dad and he missed Sara. He missed Zak.

He groaned, a whine pushing passed his pale lips, as another stab of painful, restricting heat hit his torso.

This was gonna be a _long_ night.

 _MML~MML~MML_

"Chaser, Drums, check in." Zak demanded, pushing a finger to her Comm.

" _Clear on the South side,_ " replied Melissa.

"Copy, Chaser."

" _Clear on the West,_ " added Mort.

"Copy, Drums. Move in, distract the guards while I find Danger." Zak put her hand in her lap, mentally preparing herself for what she would find.

Milo had already been through two Heats without her there.

What state would she find him in? And perhaps the more important question, would he be _alive_?

Zak shook her head. She had to find him first. She could worry about the "what ifs" later.

 _MML~MML~MML_

A crash came from somewhere outside his room. Milo arched away from his suffocating walls, trying to sit up and see through the glass slot in the door.

After a few minutes, another crash came, closer that before.

Milo groaned, panting hard, and hoped it was his team. He really wanted to go home now.

After twenty minutes of crashes and thumps and cracks, he heard voices outside the door.

The fake Heat had finally stopped, the chemicals passing through his body within the hour since they'd administered it.

Unfortunately, it made him tired and sore afterwards, and from the low levels of pain he felt, and the different kind of heat in his lower torso, he also had internal bleeding. _Perfect_.

"Danger?" Called a worried voice.

 _Melissa._

"Danger!" Called another.

 _Mort._

"Milo!" Screamed a female, frantic, familiar voice.

 _Zak._

Milo groaned, low and pain filled.

Zak's voice came from outside his room. "Milo?" She asked. "Milo, can you hear me?"

"Zak?" Milo questioned weakly.

"Milo! Yes, I'm here." Zak replied, "Guys! Over here!"

Melissa and Mort came over and Zak gave some orders under his breath. "We'll have you out in a minute, Milo, okay?"

"Okay." Milo agreed. They could have him out in six _days_ and Milo would be fine. All he cared about was going home and seeing his Alpha. And now, that was _finally_ happening.

With a few clicks, dings, and grinds, the door was opened and Milo threw up a hand, eyes squinting at the sudden return light.

"Milo!" Zak cried, and warmth enveloped the brunet's body as he was pulled up to rest against a strong chest. "Oh, my gosh, you're flushed. Are you sick?" Zak fretted.

Milo let Zak's voice wash over him as she tried to figure out what was wrong and tears well up in his eyes as he was held tightly to her chest. He let himself relax, leaning into her chest with a sigh. _I'm okay. I promise._ He pushed the words through the Bong he'd been forced to ignore for the past two months. Relief crashed into his chest when Zak's response flooded his mind.

 _You're okay._ Zak pulled Milo closer. _Oh, you're alright. I was so worried. You're warm though._

Zak's face went from relief to confusion when Milo whimpered at her touch to his torso.

 _Milo?_ She asked.

Milo simply shook his head. The message was clear, even when he wasn't saying a word, through their Bond or spoken out loud. _Not here._ "Please, take me home." He whispered.

"Okay." Zak stood, and held out a hand, helping Milo get slowly to his feet.

When he nearly collapsed, Zak held him steady with an arm around his waist. "Easy now, Milo, I've got you." She promised and a few tears actually slipped down his pale cheeks.

 _Oh, God. What did they_ do _? What did they do to you?_ She asked him mentally, noticing he was clinging to her tighter than normal, noticing the tears, and how he looked lost and afraid when she let him go.

 _MML~MML~MML_

Zak sighed, waiting for Milo to wake up as she sat next to his hospital bed.

The chairs where something she'd never sit in, she'd _promised_ herself that, but here she was, sitting in an uncomfortable orange chair with her head in one hand, and the other hand attached to Milo's pale fingers. She'd do anything for Milo; even sit in these awful, _awful_ , chairs.

She checked his pulse regularly and her eyes lingered on his chest to make sure he was breathing.

"Oh, _Milo_. What did they do to you?" Zak asked her sleeping Mate.

She knew Milo had gone into surgery because of internal bleeding in his lower stomach, but no one had told her anything else.

A soft moan drew her attention to the bed and the tightening of Milo's fingers around her hand while her own rested at his wrist.

"Zak?" He asked softly, blearily blinking hickory colored eyes at the Alpha.

"Shh, Milo, I'm right here." Zak soothed, petting deep brown hair and letting her hand trail down to frame his face.

Milo leaned into her touch with a soft sigh of relief. "It wasn't a dream." He whispered.

"Milo, I have to know. Milo, what did they do to you?" Zak asked, stroking the backs of his hands, his favorite Soft Point.

Milo went quiet and still.

This immediately put Zak on edge. Milo was very fidgety and very rarely sat still (excluding his Heats). If he was still now, how bad had it truly been?

Would Milo be able to bounce back from this like he usually did?

Tears worked their way down Milo's cheeks and Zak prepared for many a long night of comforting her hurting Mate.

"It was mostly dark and very quiet the first couple of hours." He begins, looking down almost as if ashamed, "Then, after three hours a woman came in asking me all these questions about who I was and how Murphy's Law worked. After four days, my Heat hit... And they s-sent this big male in. H-he... He..." Given his reluctance to continue, Zak had a good idea of what this man's life job was.

"He was supposed to service you?" Zak asked, so that Milo wouldn't have to tell her.

Hickory eyes squeezed closed and Milo nodded, one hand covering his mouth and the other clamped tight in Zak's.

"H-he d-didn't _fit_. I-it... I-It _hurt_. I-I tried t-to t-tell him." Tears slid down Milo's face.

"He didn't do during preHeat **(2)**." Zak hissed, coal eyes narrowing to a fine line.

Milo's body shook with silent sobs, remembering phantom pain and terrifying memories. That told Zak all she needed to know.

 _Shh, Milo, it's okay. It's okay, I'm right here. I'm never leaving you again._ Zak pushed comfort through the Bond alongside the promises she intend to keep.

She wrapped her arms around her distressed Omega and felt him lean against her. She felt pride for her Omega to allow himself to assume such a vulnerable position **(3)**.

Zak slowly rocked her body, feeding Milo a steady supply of _safetyhomeI'mherecalmcomfort_ as his tears soaked her shoulder and the front of her tank top.

Milo's tears slowly dissipated as he calmed down and exhaustion took place of the pain and fear.

 _Sleep now. I'm here. I'm right here._ Zak lay back against pillow, careful of the IV line in Milo's right arm now that the danger had passed.

 _There are still things I have to tell you._ Milo protested even as his hickory eyes fluttered and he went lax against her body.

 _Later._ Zak replied, rubbing Milo's hands. _Sleep. Then we'll talk. I promise._

And just like magic, Milo sighed and he was asleep, resting peacefully.

Zak smiled, Milo was _here_. Milo was _home_.

And by _God_ , if that didn't outweigh all the current bad.

In the morning, they'd talk and Zak would know _exactly_ what had happened to Milo during his time as hostage.

For now, Milo was sleeping and he was _safe_.

And that was all that mattered.

MML~MML~MML

 **(1) A Soft Point is the most sensitive part of an Omega's body, used to sooth and calm or wind up and intimidate depending on the situation and how they are used. Milo's Soft Points are his hair and the backs of his hands.**

 **(2) When an Omega is still in preHeat, the body is still preparing itself to be serviced (or Mated whichever you prefer) by an Alpha, therefore it is ill advised to service an Omega in preHeat unless the situation is an emergency in which it is required.**

 **(3) Most Omegas (in my world at least) are either guarded, or told that not every Alpha is considerate and some will throw the title around and use Omega's biology in the Alpha's favor. Omegas that find their SoulMates (Omegas that recognize the Alpha servicing them when in Heat and can recite knowledge from memory) usually don't let their guard down around anyone but their Alphas unless the Alpha is someone they trust with their lives.**


	2. Interrogation

Interrogation

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

 **This is set after "What Did They Do?"**

When they took him, it was nine at night and his house was silent. He was out I'm the front yard speaking with a female Alpha (rarities that they where). When the Alpha left, Balthazar had made his move, capturing him by grabbing him and putting a sack over his head.

The lack of struggle made Balthazar both happy (no witnesses and no cops) and upset (that said wonders for how often that happened, _male_ Omegas where also rare and sought after).

Vinnie had been disappointed, yes, but he understood, enough to play good cop that is.

"Hey, kid, how are ya?" Vinnie asked, arms folded across his chest and a smile on his face as Milo blinked, eyes adjusting to the low lighting.

"Hey, it's the pistachio guys! How are you?" The rest of the interrogation had gone similar to that, with Milo unintentionally digging himself a deeper hole by stating he had a reputation and that the "j" word was not something he liked saying out loud.

Balthazar was beginning to get fed up with it. He was up to _here_ with this agent and his evasive tactics. "Who do you work for, Agent Murphy?"

"I don't work for anyone. I mean, I help with house work and safe proofing the roof from llama stampedes and other Murphy's Law type activities and I do some work for an off-the-grid agency, but I don't have an official contract." Milo replied, looking particularly thoughtful at that question.

"Balthazar, come on, we've been at this all night. Give it a rest." The tired voice of Vinnie Dakota broke through Balthazar's haze of mixed emotion.

"Have we really?" Balthazar asked, glancing at his wrist watch.

"Yeah, and I'm tired. I'm telling you, this kid isn't an enemy time agent!" Vinnie complained and for once, Balthazar didn't admonish him for the whine in his voice. He simply sighed, watching the younger man carefully to gauge symptoms of exhaustion.

Milo watched the both of them, looking rather interested in the conversation going on. "You both look very tired." He commented, and really, it was simply second nature for his observant eyes to pick up on such things. "Maybe you should go to sleep." The caretaker in Milo reminded him that he had bedrolls and blankets, with inflatable pillows in his backpack if he did happen to need them.

Balthazar, under different circumstances (because usually there where security guards and his superior officer there with him, not just him and the Omega in his care), would've told the boy to keep his mouth shut. But, with Vinnie looking like he'd hit the floor any second and his own wish to sleep growing worse by the moment, Balthazar sighed. "Yes, sleep would probably be best right now." He conceded.

There was only one bed in their apartment, and Balthazar usually left it for his Omega partner, as his Alpha coding demanded and was common courtesy. Tonight, it seemed, would be the same, Balthazar would be sleeping on the floor.

"Here," Milo Murphy was suddenly at his side, holding out a bed roll, pillow, and blanket.

Balthazar was suddenly very aware that this child was only a teenager, a _child_ , and he was _still_ helping then when Balthazar had given him _every_ reason to hate the both of them.

He slowly took the offered materials, almost hesitantly, as Vinnie headed for the bedroom. "Thank you, Milo Murphy." Balthazar said.

"Oh, please, just call me Milo." The small Omega grinned and then began shaking out his own bed roll.

MML~MML~MML

Balthazar couldn't sleep, unable to stop thinking about Milo's unpredictable and unneeded act of kindness.

He rolled to the side facing the door from his position of sentry by the bed. His bones cracked in protest, but where ignored as Balthazar sighed and resigned himself to another sleepless night.

He stood, intending to head for their kitchen, and then stopped as the sound of a whimper hit his ears. Such a desperate sound, the whimper he'd heard, the only other time he'd heard it was after a mission gone wrong that nearly resulted in Vinnie -

 _Oh_. Balthazar quickly went to check on Vinnie, but seeing his peaceful expression, Balthazar headed to see Milo Murphy instead.

The child was laying on his bed roll with his hands clenched in the blankets and tears beginning to fall down his face.

Balthazar gently knelt down next to the small Omega and shook his shoulder. Milo's eyes fluttered and he shot upright with a gasp. The elder man tilted his head in consideration, but decided that whatever Milo Murphy had been dreaming about would be best left to Milo Murphy and his Alpha (if the bite marks on Milo's neck was anything to go by).

"I wanted to ask you more questions." The elder Alpha says.

Milo gives him a nod, wiping at his face to rid the evidence of tears, and sniffs as he pulls a handkerchief from his bag.

Balthazar leaves to give him privacy.

After ten minutes, Vinnie is also awake and looking very sleepy as he moves to the kitchen. Milo heads in after him and Balthazar makes up three mugs of tea.

"Now, the questions?" Balthazar prompts softly as he sets a mug in front of Milo and sits across from him.

"What do you want to know?" Milo replied, wrapping pale fingers around the offered mug and taking a slow sip.

"Why do you continually ruin our mission?" Balthazar asked.

"I really have no idea what you're talking about, but if I'm around when your missions go wrong, then it's probably Murphy's Law." Milo took another drink of tea and gave a brief smile. "I'm sorry for that, by the way, it's very unpredictable."

"You talk about it like it can think and breath." Balthazar puzzled. "What exactly _is_ Murphy's Law?"

"It's not really alive, it's just a law that says anything that _can_ go wrong, _will_ go wrong. At least around me they do. I'm the great-great-great-great grandson of the original Murphy." Milo looked up and Balthazar ignored that his heart skipped a beat when faced with Milo's tired eyes.

"Is that even possible?" Vinnie asked.

"Yes, it's called a quirk. Melissa and Zak have one too. So do the Flynn-Fletcher boys on the street behind mine, and my mom." Milo replied, eager to share what he knew about quirks and such. "Could I ask a question?"

"Yes." Balthazar replied with a nod. "You may."

"Why do you keep calling me Agent?" Milo asked. "I'm not an agent, not a time agent anyway."

"Balthazar, here was convinced you where. It's just because he's grumpy and doesn't like his job." Vinnie teased with a smile. That earned a smile from the younger Omega and a mock-glare from Balthazar. "Dakota!" Balthazar cried.

Vinnie smiled in response, teasing nature around the edges and mischief in his eyes.

Balthazar allowed himself a small smile, and then there was a beeping noise from his pocket. He frowned and pulled out the time phone they'd finally gotten around to giving them, and his eyes widened when he saw the ID on the screen. "It's the Time Boss. Vinnie, quick, hide Milo!" He turned away from them as Vinnie snapped up the younger Omega, ignoring the squeak of protest, and pushed him into the bedroom. "You stay here, we'll be right back."

The door to the room was shut and Dakota slipped over to stand next to his partner. Cavendish nodded and answered the call.

 _MML~MML~MML_

When the door opens again, Milo is sitting on the bed rooting through his backpack and packing up the bed roll he'd slept on. "If you want to keep the extra bed roll then you're welcome to it, I have three more at home." He says as the duo comes in the room.

Balthazar nods. "Thank you, it will certainly be helpful. We must go on and protect another pistachio shipment. We will drop you off back home on the way." Balthazar said.

"Well, to be honest, I'd like to help you before I go home, Zak and Melissa can hold down the fort until I get back. I can show you how to take precautionary measures against Murphy's Law." Milo offered, closing up his backpack and putting it on his back.

"I think we can allow that, just this once." Balthazar replied.

 _MML~MML~MML_

Twenty minutes later, Milo had pulled on his mission outfit (a slim fitting black suit that covered all the way up to his neck), purely by habit, and they were off by the pistachio plant.

Almost immediately, something went wrong. Three security guards found them, so Milo was forced to take evasive action as they turned out to be kidnappers looking for a quick buck. As Balthazar and Vinnie watched Milo spin and run and flip with the kind of grace that said he'd been doing this since he was young, Vinnie wondered exactly how long he'd been with the agency Milo had mentioned and exactly what he did for it.

When they finally found the pistachios, something else went wrong. A pipe fell from above and nearly knocked Balthazar unconscious, but Milo pulled him back and the pipe crashed harmlessly against the ground.

Balthazar looked at Milo with something akin to surprise. "Thank you, Milo." He said.

"You bet!" Milo replied, offering a two fingered salute as he helped Balthazar to his feet.

Vinnie and Balthazar's mission went out without a hitch and the pistachios were kept safe.

As they left the room, Balthazar pulled out a card and handed it to the younger teen. "If ever you need us, or simply want to talk, this is where you can find us, and how you can contact us."

Milo smiled. "Thanks." He pulls out a pad of paper, hurriedly writes something down and tears it off, handing it to Balthazar. "Here is mine."

"Milo!" called a female voice. " _Milo_!"

Milo perked up, looking towards the exit, where the voice had come from. "Zak." He murmured.

Balthazar got the feeling that 'Zak' was the reason Milo had a bite mark on his neck. Milo looked back at Balthazar, almost looking torn.

"Go on, we'll contact you if we have any more questions." Balthazar allowed a brief smile to cross his face as Milo beamed and ran off, disappearing like smoke into the shadows.

Vinnie watched the smile on Balthazar's face and nudged him, crossing his arms and letting a smirk fall to his lips. "You big softie." He teased.

Balthazar chuckled. "Oh, hush."


	3. Nightmares and Headspaces

Nightmares and Headspaces

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

Milo screamed as he woke up from his horrifying night terror.

He breathed heavy and shallow, pupils blown wide with the fear rolling off of him in sharp, harsh waves.

 _Milo?_ Asked the soft voice he'd become accustomed to hearing in his mind at unholy hours of the morning. _Are you okay?_

Milo didn't answer, too caught up in his terror-stricken thoughts. He jumped, feeling a hand fall upon his shoulder, and scrambled back, falling from the bed and then desperately moving until his back hit the wall, eyes wide and whimpers falling from his lips and _no, please, please don't please_.

"Please. Please, don't. Please, it... It _hurts_. Stop!" He gasped, feeling the pain between his legs as if it was new and the shame at himself for being so weak.

There was the hand again and Milo scrambled back into the headboard, curling up into a tight ball with his head in his hands and eyes shut tightly. The pain restricted him. He couldn't feel, couldn't move, and couldn't think. He couldn't _breath,_ _he couldn't_ _**breath**_ **.**

 _Milo. Calm down, dove. You're gonna make yourself pass out. Milo, I need you to breath with me, okay? Can you do that?_ The voice allowed to room for argument, but it was gentle and _so unlike_ the person who'd hurt him before.

Milo nodded, still struggling to breath and trying hard to think properly. He felt the person take his hand in a light grip and move it slowly to a warm expansion that he couldn't currently name.

 _Okay. Breath in..._ The warmth moved, expanding outwards slowly and steadily and Milo struggled to follow it, breathing in shakily. _Good. Very good._ The voice crooned. _And out..._ The warmth retracted just as slowly and Milo breathed only the slightest bit easier.

 _Good. That's good, dove._ The voice continued to help him breath, drawing him back from the edge of his mind and talking him back from the ledge.

 _It's okay. You're alright, dove._ Milo slowly registered the pet name.

Dove. There was literally only one person who ever used that name.

 _Zak._ He spoke softly, tears filling his eyes as the pain receded and made way for exhaustion and fear. He reached out with his mind. _Zak._

 _I'm here. I'm here, dove. I'm right here, I_ promise _._ Replied his Mate and Milo got slowly to his knees, then to his feet.

Milo whimpered again, a silent plea for Zak, for his Mate, and the Alpha obliged. She filled the Bond with love and warmth and acceptance and everything else Milo couldn't give himself in that moment as she held out her hand.

Milo took it and Zak pulled the younger Omega into her arms. He went willingly, a plea on his lips even as Zak pushed her hand through his hair.

This was a bad one. Zak would need to put him in his Headspace for the night if he was to be okay for the mission tomorrow.

 _Milo?_ She asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Milo was currently curling into her body, fitting easily underneath her chin, his head resting on her shoulder while she played with his hair.

 _Milo?_ She questioned, drawing out the 'I' in his name.

There was a questioning hum that hit Zak's mind lightly and shyly. That told her _exactly_ what she needed to know. Her Mate would not be coming out of Headspace until far into the morning. She'd make sure of it.

 _I'm going to put you in your Headspace, okay?_ Zak asked.

Milo whined and that made Zak wonder exactly what the scientists had done while Milo was in his Headspace, but she'd worry about that later.

 _You won't leave?_ Please _tell me you won't leave._ Milo begged and Zak's heart broke all over again.

 _I'm here. I'm right here, dove, I'm not going anywhere._ Zak promised, rubbing her thumb over the back of Milo's hand, which she still had clasped within her own.

Milo breathed in, then out, shakily. Then he nodded. _Okay._ He whispered.

Zak nodded, then began carding her hands through Milo's hair again, gentler than before, rubbing the back of his hands and nosing into the Mating Mark on Milo's neck.

Milo felt a sweep of calm rush over his mind and his mind beginning to detach from his body and fear hit him hard.

"No. No, please." He murmured; fear pressing hard into his brain and making him forget that he was safe.

 _Shh. Shh, I'm right here. You're okay. You're alright, my dove. Shh._ The voice drew him back from the fear, held him close and made him remember.

His breathed deep and let it happen. The fear was still there, still prominent, but this wasn't the first time this had happened and Zak knew _exactly_ what was needed.

Zak kept murmuring sweet nothings down their Bond, never letting the fear take over as she pulled Milo towards his Headspace, towards _safety_.

When he finally, tentatively, dropped off the edge, Zak was there, ready to catch his limp body and keep him safe and happy and okay.

Not the men who forced themselves on Milo and forced the poor Omega to go into a more terror-bringing Space that filled him with fear.

The Bond continued to fill with love and trust and faith and Milo eventually dropped off to sleep.

It is about 32 hours before he has another nightmare.

 _MML~MML~MML_

 _He's laying in the dark again, listening for any sign of movement and life. He's scared and wanting to be let go._

 _He can feel the heat creeping up on him. He can feel_ it _coming._

 _He'd taken 24 hour suppressants to stop it for the oncoming mission that he needed to go on, but he couldn't stop it now. This was full blown and he wasn't getting out of it._

 _He wanted out._

 _He wanted_ Zak.

 _He felt dizzy and sick, but he looked up anyways when the door opened._

 _A huge burly man came in with only a thin pair of boxers covering his body and Milo's face flushed, looking down._

 _He took a quick assessment. This man was big, likely strong, too thick to move fast and Milo could use that. A sharp scent filled his nose and Milo's eyes snapped up again. "Who... Who are you?" He asked, his voice soft and scared._

 _"My name is Dylan, I'll be helping you." The man said in a clipped, professional tone._

 _He moved closer, close enough for Milo to identify him as Alpha, and get a reading on his age. This man was thirty years older than him. What the_ heck _was he in_ here _for?_

 _Then a wave of heat crashed down and the man took that as his cue to begin. He stripped of his boxers and Milo averted his eyes."What are you doing?" He cried._

 _"Shut up, come here." The man demanded, clearly not educated on how to work with the opposite secondary gender._

 _"No, what are you doing. Get back." Milo snarled weakly, heat driving him into insanity. Shoot, he'd never gone through Heat without Zak, what was he going to do?_

 _"Omega, I don't have time for this, shut up and get over here." The man's voice got harsh and Milo found all the more reason to resist the force pulling at him to obey._

 _"Get back." He snarled again, not liking this at all. "Get._ Back _." He stood his ground, pushing himself back against the wall when the man got too close. This man_ really _didn't know how to care for an Omega._

 _Rule 1: Never corner them. Be slow and gentle, not firm, when they're aggressive, hurt, or afraid._

 _Milo felt his teeth sharpen and he bared them, trying to be threatening. He was_ trained _for this. He could do this, he was fine. Somehow that didn't convince him, but he repeated it like a mantra in his head. I can do this, I'll be fine, I can do this, I'll be fine._

 _He snapped at the man's arm, being harsh and unyielding when he got too close. His eyes flashed a dark red and Milo understood. This man was a simulated Alpha, not a real one._

 _The Company was trying to figure out how to stop that, as the body always burned up after a year._

 _The Omega bared his teeth again and growled, low in his throat._

 _This man wasn't coming anywhere near him without a fight._

 _He didn't know what happened, but the next thing he knew, Milo was flat on his back with his stomach burning and the man attempting to strip him._

 _"Get away." He snarled and the light fixture outside shattered in response to his emotions. "No." He panted, scared and unable to do anything as this man continued on._

 _He felt the first penetration and it hurt. It wasn't supposed to hurt, but then this was preHeat and Mating was never supposed to happen until postHeat._

 _Milo felt the drags and he screamed. This wasn't supposed to happen._

 _This hurt. It was awful. He pleaded and begged, he screamed and cried, but the man clearly had no care in the world._

 _When he finally dropped into postHeat, he felt relief about not being able to remember._

 _MML~MML~MML_

Milo woke up screaming again, with phantom pains all throughout his body and tears streaking his face.

This time, Zak was ready and she slipped out of the bed and sat in front of him. _Milo?_ She asked, curling safety around the Bond.

 _I'm sorry._ Was all that she got back, as Milo's eyes glassed over and his breathing came out in pants.

 _Milo, we've got to talk about this, it isn't healthy for you to wake up screaming every night. It's not healthy for you or me for that matter._ Zak murmured.

 _I know, I know. I just keep seeing his face and... And I can't do that again. It hurt and it was awful and I-_

Zak cut him off.

 _Shh. Shh, it's alright. I know. You're nightmares are at least getting better. You wanna go to your Headspace tonight?_ Zak asked.

There was a pause and Zak was afraid Milo would refuse. Then Milo threw his arms around Zak's neck and sniffled. _You're a great Alpha, you know._ He said, floating his gratitude down the Bond. _I don't know what I'd do without you._

 _Crash and burn?_ Zak joked and Milo smiled with a laugh. _Probably_. He murmured. _I want to stay with you tonight._ He told her. _I'm okay._

Zak nodded. _Alright_.

Milo fell asleep listening to Zak's heartbeat that night. He didn't have many more nightmares.


	4. Pistachios and Stories

Pistachios and Stories

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

 **My fourth installment, whoop, whoop!**

Milo really couldn't believe his life sometimes, it was too insane even for him.

He was 18 years old and working for an off the grid agency known only as the Company. He'd been recruited when he was young, only about five to six years old, and trained for a long time as an elite weapon until the age of twelve when he was deemed ready to play with other kids his age. He was put on a team of three others.

One he knew, Melissa Chase, whom he'd been friends with since he was young.

The second, Mort Schueffer, who had been going to school with Milo and Melissa since they'd hit fourth grade.

The third had started going to school with them in the sixth grade, but even then Milo found himself drawn to Zak Underwood.

Even if he'd barely known her.

So, really, Milo had been training for even the most _insane_ of missions and circumstances, with or without a team, since he was six years old.

There was nothing that could've prepared him with living, breathing, walking, talking (take your pick their all insane) _pistachio trees_.

Nor the feeling of vulnerability that hit him as he looked at the Pistachion baring over him with a sick grin on his face. Milo gasped, feeling too week and too enclosed.

Suddenly he was back inside the too small cell with the overbearing, synthesized Alpha man standing over him with a sharp look. Suddenly he was too far into Heat to stop it and he had nothing to help him. Suddenly, it was too dark and too small and he could feel every drag of pain and every thrust inside him and he screamed.

Milo blinked and he was back on the battle field with the same man standing over him and he couldn't bring himself to move. He couldn't feel anything, he couldn't breathe. _He couldn't breathe!_

"Milo!" Cried a new voice and a bat cracked against the side of the Pistachion's head and the creature fell to the ground.

Vinnie Dakota stood wear the Pistachion had once been and he knelt down, blue-brown eyes wide behind the glasses he loved so much (the lenses where cracked but that was alright, Vinnie didn't seem to mind). "Are you alright?" He asked.

Milo shook his head, hands gripping his hair with enough strength to pull down a brick wall. His body shook and he couldn't remember where he was or what he was doing or even his own _name_ , but Vinnie understood anyway.

He laid a gentle hand on Milo's shaking shoulders. "Hey, Milo, come on, we've gotta get somewhere safer."

Milo's voice was too small and too soft when he replied, but Vinnie would take it over shaking and silent.

Vinnie stood and held out a hand with a smile, keeping his front to the kid, but subtly checking for more danger as well.

Milo's shaking hand slowly reached out to Vinnie's and it was two minutes before Vinnie managed to get Milo to stand.

"Zak and Melissa. Mort." He murmured, hoping Vinnie would understand that too.

"Friends of yours?" Vinnie asked the younger Omega with a knowing look. "We found a group of three kids about your age, maybe that'll be them." The Omega replied and Milo felt relief crash into his chest.

"Okay." He let Vinnie lead him to an old abandoned sewer.

It all came crashing back to him. The Pistachion uprising, the capture of his parents, alongside Melissa's and Zak's. The demands of the Company's surrender and the demand of the Time Bureau's surrender. He remember a building crashing as a result of Milo's surprise and upset feelings and he immediately found his backpack, Diogee and his mission suit, knowing that he would need to find his team if he wanted to win this.

He'd told Diogee to find and stay with Melissa, Zak, and Mort (he hoped that meant Diogee was with Balthazar and Vinnie too) before he'd left to see if he could find a weakness to the Pistachions.

He was blindsided by the offending creatures not even an hour into his search. He wasn't getting slow and he hadn't underestimated them, nor had the creature sneaked up on him, Milo had just been hit by a dirty play and hadn't recovered in time.

 _(Mentally he made a note to do some training by himself; he needed to relearn how to work without a team to back him up.)_

Milo was lucky Vinnie had been there, otherwise he wasn't sure the Pistachion would've let him live.

"So tell me, Milo, why weren't you fighting back?" Vinnie asked in a whisper as he checked the corner and surrounding area for hostiles.

"I..." Milo trailed off, still too embarrassed and the wound too fresh to speak about. Talking about it with Zak, his Mate and Alpha, was one thing, but he hadn't even told _Melissa_ about what had happened to him while he was held hostage, how was he supposed to tell Vinnie.

Who was a very close friend ever since they saved a pistachio shipment.

(When the security guards had been looking for some easy money they had grabbed Dakota with intent sell him and nearly succeeded until Milo kicked both their butts and left them on the ground.

Milo pulled the gag from Vinnie's mouth and smiled. "Some security, right?" He asked with a laugh.

Vinnie laughed too, the breathless, nervous sort and nodded. "Some security." Vinnie replied.)

Milo swallowed and countered with a question he very much wanted the answer to. "I'll tell you if you tell me why you didn't fight back at the museum when you where captured by security guards."

Vinnie froze, making a strangled noise in the back of his throat and his eyes glazed briefly, staring off into nothingness for a few seconds and then he grabbed Milo suddenly, pulling him into an old building.

Vinnie took a few deep, calming breaths. Then he sighed and pulled off his beloved glasses, looking at Milo with his blue-brown eyes sad and begging him to understand. "Okay. If I tell you this story, it stays between us, alright? Balthazar knows, but no one else. It wasn't one of my best moments." Vinnie looked at Milo with such a pleading and utterly _broken_ face, Milo found himself nodded (though he would've agreed anyways).

Vinnie drew in a deep, shaky breath and Milo moved closer to offer what little comfort he could bring.

"Okay. So, when I was little, all I ever wanted to do was travel. I wanted to go to exotic places like Paris and Rio and Transylvania." Vinnie smiled a sad little smile and Milo's heart broke even more for this older Omega he'd become fond of.

"When I turned eight, my parents bought me this..." A sigh, "This red, toy plane that you could wind up and it would move and spin and even hover a little. I loved the plane and I took it with me everywhere. One day, I lost the plane inside this huge department store. There were so many places I couldn't check them all, but I did anyway. I left my Mother's cart and I ran off to go look for it.

"I checked everywhere, the mattress store, the food court, even the bathrooms, but I never found the plane. So, I gave up, cut my losses and hoped that whoever found it loved it just as much as I had. I went back to go find my Mom, but I couldn't remember the way." Tears began to fill Vinnie's eyes as he remembered the panic and hurt at the thought that his mother had abandoned him. Milo scooted a little closer and slowly leaned against Vinnie's side.

He didn't know if it meant Vinnie wasn't bothered by it or if he was so lost in thought he hadn't noticed, but the older Omega brought an arm around Milo's slight body and hugged him a little closer. Milo didn't complain, only offered what comfort and soothing thoughts he could.

"I searched for hours and hours, but I couldn't find my mother. I finally just sat at a bench and cried. I don't know how long I was there before this man found me. At that point, I was apparently presenting, because he said he could smell me. Both my parents where Betas and they hadn't explained to me what any of it meant, so I just went along with whatever this guy said. He told me he knew where my Mom was, so I followed him off to this warehouse that absolutely stank and I kept wondering why my mom would be at a place like that. I asked the guy, but he never answered."

Vinnie hugged Milo a little closer and sighed. "Kid, it was awful in there. There where Alphas rutting on Omegas and Omegas being forced to pleasure the Alphas and Betas running the joint, just standing by and letting it happen." Vinnie's eyes screwed shut as if he could still see it and Milo burrowed even closer with a shudder.

"It sounds awful." He murmured and Vinnie nodded. "It really was."

Vinnie chuckled, though it held no humor. "I won't horrify you with all the gross details, but the man said that I lived here now. That I was meant to follow the rules and pleasure the Alphas." Vinnie sighed. "So, I did what an eight year old would do and I did. I learned how to obey the rules; I learned how to get down on my knees. I learned how to do things I didn't even know existed. Eventually, when I was twenty..." Vinnie thought for a minute, "Four, I think. Yeah, twenty four. I was sold off to an undercover time agent. That was Balthazar." Vinnie smiled the same sad smile he'd given Milo when the younger boy had hesitated back out in the field.

"After sixteen years in that place, about the only thing I knew how to do was please an Alpha, so you can imagine how the first couple of nights went." Milo smiled back at Vinnie with no humor on his face.

"So, after about a week, he'd started telling me all about who I used to be, about the real world. He started teaching me how to be someone beyond a slave used for nothing but pleasure. He taught me to be a time agent." Vinnie didn't like remembering the phantom feelings of foreign hands traveling over his skin, he shivered and Milo came close as he possibly could.

"So, I did what I did and I learned. Over time, I found out that the place I'd been at had pretty much burned, it was chock full of enemy time agents. I learned how to function in normal society and I found out how to be me again." Vinnie leaned back with his arms still around Milo and he laughed. "Man, that place sure screwed me up, I was a mess, blamed myself for everything. Didn't even know I'd been raped." Vinnie looked at Milo. "Still have 'panic attack' nightmares about it." He told Milo.

"But, long story short. I got out and six years later, here I am. The reason I froze up back in the museum is because I recognized one of the security guards from the place." Vinnie told him.

Milo suddenly felt really stupid. His problem was practically nonexistent compared to Vinnie's, but when the older Omega looked at him with a smile and said, "Your turn." Milo knew there wasn't any turning back.

"Okay." Milo began. "I was captured by this group of scientists that wanted to know how Murphy's Law worked and what it did back in the summer." Milo told Vinnie about how he'd been captured saving a group of people from a burning building. He told Vinnie about being brought to a room and being left alone for a few days. He told Vinnie about his Heat and about how it hit. He told Vinnie about the synthesized Alpha who'd been sent to service him. He told Vinnie about feeling everything magnified by tenfold because of the pain of being Mated before time. Vinnie was quiet as he listened and took in everything.

When Milo finished, Vinnie sucked in a breath and hissed. " _Jeez_ , Milo. Your problem is _way_ worse."

"Worse? How is it worse?" Milo asked, eyebrows furrowed as he and Vinnie stood.

Vinnie blinked twice before he sighed. "Okay. I didn't know what was going on at all, okay? I thought it was all normal." Vinnie's voice held no malice or taunt, simply understanding and soothing tones. Milo nodded. "You? Milo, you knew what was happening and you were forced to pleasure an Alpha in Heat. Plus, my problem is six years in the past and I can function perfectly fine from day to day life. Your problem literally happened a few months ago."

They started back for the time agent's hideout and Milo smiled. "Hey, Vinnie?" He asked, as they stopped at a door and Vinnie looked back.

"Yeah?" Vinnie knocked three time, paused, four times, paused, then once, paused, and six times.

"Thanks." Milo said and Vinnie grinned.

"Just know something, Milo. If it ever comes to it, you can always come to me." Vinnie ruffled Milo's hair as the door opened and Balthazar moved so they could come inside.

"Find anything?" The grey haired Alpha asked as he led Vinnie off down a hallway.

Milo smiled and turned towards voices, picking up Diogee, who'd come over to greet his master.

"Bright Light, you can't go out there!" Called the voice of Melissa.

"The _Hell_ I can't, Chaser. Danger's in trouble and I've gotta go look for him!" Replied Zak's voice and Milo felt giddy with excitement at his Alpha's voice.

"Hey, Bright Light, turn around, Danger's right there." Mort said and pointed to the youngest member on their team.

"Milo!" Melissa and Zak both tackled him with hugs and questions. Milo laughed as he fell and Diogee hopped off his chest.

"Are you alright?" Melissa prompted.

"Are you hurt?" Zak asked.

"What happened?" Mort questioned.

Milo answered each one. "I'm alright, no I'm not hurt, and as for what happened," Milo looked up to where Vinnie was talking to Balthazar.

Vinnie turned suddenly and saw Milo, smiled and waved.

Milo waved back and returned the smile. "Well, I had a pretty great adventure."


	5. My Family

My Family

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

 **Okay, I'll be the first to admit the episode of September 30th was very shocking. I also didn't know that it would become actual cannon, when I wrote my Pistachion Uprising AU. I mean, wow! I guess someone liked the idea or something. Or maybe I just subconsciously worked out what would happen and then it turned into an idea. I don't know. Still cool though!**

 **Would the AU be considered cannon now? No? Shoot me a comment down below!**

Milo was fairly certain that he could say family was the most important thing to him.

His Mom, Bridgette, and his father, Martin. His sister, Sara. His carefully crafted and selected family, Mort and Melissa. His best friend and Mate, Zak. Even the most recent additions to his family, Balthazar Cavendish and Vinnie Dakota, where extremely important.

He also liked to think that he also knew them better than anyone else, which was entirely true.

Milo knew about Bridgette's family kicking her out when they found out about her relationship with Martin.

Milo knew about Martin's heartbreaking relationship with an Alpha who was killed while protecting Martin from Murphy's Law knew that Martin still had nightmares about it.

Milo knew that Mort had to meditate every single morning otherwise his temper quickly overwhelms him and suddenly everything goes black and when he wakes up, he never knows what happened.

Milo knows that Sara has the unexplained urge to check on him every few hours. No matter the time, the day, or what's happened the previous couple hours, there's always a call or a text on his phone or the _swish_ of the door as she pulls it closed with a soft click.

Milo knows Melissa is a perfectionist and she _needs_ the stability of something, _anything_ to keep her mind off things not being perfect 24/7.

Milo knows about Vinnie's past, knows that Vinnie used to be forced to his knees on a daily basis because of awful people in even worse jobs, knows that Vinnie is very embarrassed to talk about it because he hates that it happened and hates even more that places like that still exist **(1)**.

Milo knows that Balthazar cares about Vinnie much more than he'd ever admit to anyone, let alone his Omega partner, knows that even while Balthazar is forever complaining about how messy and unorganized Vinnie is, the elder Alpha would never leave Vinnie alone.

Milo knows much about his family, knows more than most people would ever dare to find out.

What surprises him is how much his family knows about _him_.

Like how his mother will keep the lights low and the noise at a minimum and his father will pull him into a hug and Sara will smile and grin and talk to him about Dr. Zone until he's able to respond after every panic attack, even though they have little to no knowledge about what happened to him and how much it's hurt him and screwed him up.

Like how Mort and Melissa will hug him firmly, but not so hard as to make him feel confined and trapped, how they'll keep a close eye on him while they're on their missions, but let him do his thing.

How Vinnie and Balthazar provide a flood gate of sorts when they listen to his pain and watch over him when he's having anxiety and/or panic attacks and offer a shoulder to cry on when the pain becomes too much.

How Zak would hold him close when he had panic inducing nightmares, or how she calls him by pet name when he can't stand the sound of his own name **(2)**. How she pulls him closer without him asking, how she talks to him through the Bond without him having to say a word.

How they each understand that he sometimes can't deal with humanity.

How they understand that sometimes he needs his distance.

How they understand that sometimes he needs to talk and sometimes he needs silence.

When they understand that, no, going through what he had wasn't easy at all, and yes it's been a few months, but he still freaks out when he's in a white walled room.

How he panics when he's in a too small space.

How he's still working through what had happened and how he'd been raped, not once, but _multiple_ times over the course of two separate weeks.

How he was forced to do multiple tests and experiments and he was run down to exhaustion, only to get up the next morning and do it all over again until finally he flat out collapsed and they let him have a full three days of a comatose kind of rest before pushing him right back into it all over again.

How, even after six months of near constant contact with his family, he still can't be away from them for more than twelve hours.

So, yes, Milo knows much about his family.

And he knows they know a lot about him.

And this is why he'll always be grateful.

He isn't sure _where_ he'd be without them, but he knows he never wants to find out.

 **(1) For my _Anything That Can Go Wrong_ readers: this part will not make since unless you also read my _Hostage_ book. Check the third chapter; they don't have to be read in order.**

 **(2) For my _Hostage_ followers: I'm sorry, but the polls aren't working for me. Let me just give you the suggestions and you guys can tell me what you want to see first.**

 **1.) Some of the experiments Milo went through.**

 **2.) Milo telling Zak _everything_ he went through.**

 **3.) Why Milo can't stand his name sometimes.**

 **4.) Milo telling Melissa, Mort, and the rest of his family (Balthazar including because he's already told Vinnie) what really happened.**

 **Shoot me a vote in the comments and let me know what you want to see.**


	6. Experimental

Experimental

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

Milo could still remember _every_ experiment that he was put through during his stay with the scientists.

He hated that he could remember every painful cut, every preHeat drag, every step, every maze. Every single time the guards overworked him to the point of exhaustion and he'd collapsed.

Milo hated that he remembered, but he hated even more that he'd gone through torture, and even _more_ that in doing so, the guards ripped away his Headspace and his Heats too.

 _MML~MML~MML_

Milo's nightmares where almost always of that Synthetic Alpha man and what happened during his Heats, but when he didn't have nightmares about that, he usually dreamed about some of the more (painful? excruciating? hurtful? awful?) inhumane experiments he'd gone through.

One of his subconscious's favorites was the Lightning Room.

 _The scientists came in after his Heat had broken. He was still shivering from what had happened and desperate to get the feeling of the Synthetic Alpha off of him._

 _The scientists knocked twice on his 'room' door and called, "Subject Murphy? You need to come with us, are you dressed?"_

 _Milo, luckily because they opened the door without waiting for his response, was dressed in what was left of his civilian clothes. The Synthetic Alpha had torn his mission suit to shreds, but Milo still had his normal clothes_ **(1)** _._

 _Milo shuddered, eyes blank, still lost somewhere in his mind's eye. Scared and alone._

 _The scientists looked at each other, then back at the 'patient" they'd been told to retrieve._

 _"He's unresponsive, sir? What shall we do?" asked one of the scientists._

 _"Take him to the Lightning Room." replied a new voice._

 _Milo flinched as rough hands pulled him to his feet. He reached out along the Bond, but found nothing but a hard cold wall he hadn't put up. "_ Zak? Zak! Zak, please, I know you where upset, but I can't-" _he cut himself off and tears began to fall._

 _"Ah, ah! None of that. Your precious Mate didn't put that wall up. We did. If you cooperate you may get it taken down, but until we say so, or your Mate somehow finds you, that wall stays up." the third voice said._

 _Milo couldn't help it, tears started falling and he couldn't stop them. The sobs, yes, those where no problem, but not the tears._

 _"Proceed; perhaps he'll be livelier when he comes back."_

 _Milo wanted to struggle, but what good would that do? The scientists where stronger than him at that moment._

 _And not only that, but he still couldn't wrap his head around what had just happened and he wasn't entirely sure he'd hold up in a fight._

 _The scientists drug him off to a pure white room with bare walls and a single chair sitting in the middle of the floor._

 _Milo was shoved roughly into the chair and restrained with chains around the wrist. He didn't struggle or put up a fight, even when the Beta scientist was too rough or pulled the restraints too tight._

 _Milo was silent and docile, too afraid of the synthetic Alpha coming back to put up a fight._

 _The other scientist, an Omega female was far kinder as she leaned down to check the restraints. "I'm so sorry we're doing this. I really don't want to, but I have three kids at home, the father up and left us, and I have no one else to help me. This is the only place that pays well enough for me to keep all three of them fed," she explained, "I wouldn't be here if I could find somewhere else that pays just as well."_

 _Milo shivered and looked up at her. She gasped, one hand covering her mouth as she saw the pure fear and brokenness in his eyes. Milo offered a tear filled, timid smile._

 _She sighed, "I'll do what I can to keep you as comfortable as possible and I'll try my best to keep the Synthetics away from you." she offered._

 _Milo purred weekly and she smiled a small smile. "I have to go now. I'm so sorry." With that, she was gone, disappearing from Milo's vision just as quickly as she appeared._

 _Milo was left on his own or ten heartbeats. Then came the lightning._

 _It arched high above him in spurts and blasts of light and heat, then it would hit the ground, crashing sharply and Milo wished he could cover his ears._

 _Then, one got too close, too hot, and too sharp and Milo was hit._

 _White hot heat seared through him, burning him right to the bone, originating from his shoulders and carving deep into his skin, like it was making sure he'd never be able to forget._

 _Milo couldn't hold back his screams of pain, nor the tears in his eyes as the pain grew worse and worse and the carving in his back went deeper and deeper._

 _It continued for what felt like hours until the lightning was gone, and the Omega scientist was rushing back in. She hit her knees in front of him and took his face into her hands. "Are you alright? Please tell me you're alive!" she begged._

 _Milo only response was to start sobbing, tears pouring from his eyes fast and hard. He was surprised he had anything left to cry._

 _The scientist unlocked his restraints and pulled him into a hug. "Shh, it's alright. It's gonna be alright, love. You're going to be alright, honey, just hang on a little longer, okay?"_

 _Milo's sobs didn't let up, but he felt comforted by her presence so there was that._

 _MML~MML~MML_

Another favorite of Milo's subconscious was the Waterfall.

 _Milo spluttered as he was pulled back from the spray. "Ready to comply?" asked his 'handler' in a bored tone._

 _Milo's chest heaved and every breath he took heart like Hell's fire, but he caught his breath and spat in the Beta man's face._

 _The man sighed, wiped it off, and then shoved Milo back under the spray._

 _Milo didn't remember what happened after that, it was all too fuzzy and blurry and he may have choked on water, but honestly after the fifteenth time of getting shoved under that spray, he kind of lost any semblance of time he had left._

 _He was so thankful for Mylene, she always knew when he was in trouble and always did her best to help him._

 _For example, when he woke up again and was in his room rather than on the floor next to the Waterfall._

 _"You're a trouble magnet, you know that, love?" Mylene asked, gently patting Milo's face with a dry towel._

 _Milo grinned weekly and nodded, "So I'm told."_

 _MML~MML~MML_

From the Lightning Room to the Waterfall, from the Synthetic Alpha to the awful experiments **(2)** Milo had completely blocked out, Milo had awful nightmares about it.

Milo would toss and turn at night with his subconscious's absolute favorite though.

Never once was Milo allowed to be called by anything less than his full name.

The only person who _would_ use his first name was Mylene, but eventually Milo got so sick of his own name, he asked her to call him something else.

 _"Come this way, Milo Danger Murphy."_

 _"Please, stop." Milo begged._

 _MML~MML_

 _"Milo Danger Murphy is your name, right?"_

 _"Yes," Milo panted, nodded furiously. "Please, can't you stop it?"_

 _MML~MML_

 _"Milo Danger Murphy, right?"_

 _"Please, please stop!" Milo cried._

 _MML~MML_

 _"Milo Danger Murphy, you've been causing a lot of trouble lately, haven't you?"_

 _Milo nodded, despite the fact that he hadn't, but if it would get them to stop saying his name, he'd do anything._

 _MML~MML_

 _"Milo?" Mylene asked, holding up a small plate._

 _"Please, no more," he begged. "Please, I can't handle it, no more."_

 _"Mi-" Mylene paused as she took in Milo's shiver and sob. "Alright. What would you have me call you instead?"_

 _"Call me... Khatar_ **(3)** _." Milo pleaded._

 _Mylene nodded. "Okay."_

 _MML~MML~MML_

Milo shot up in panic with a yelp as he woke up fully from his dream. He looked around quickly, praying there wasn't any lightning.

A loud crash, the roll of thunder, and a flash of light and Milo was panicking again.

A yawn followed a second repeat and then Zak was sitting up and looking at her Mate. _Milo?_

Milo jerked, but remained still otherwise.

 _Dove?_ Zak tried, gently placing a hand on Milo's shoulder.

Milo jerked again, this time coming to face her, and finally seemed to recognize something.

"Zak." he breathed.

 _Yeah, Dove. Come here._ Zak offered Milo a smile and pulled him into a hug. _I love you, Dove._

Milo tucked himself into her embrace, pressing his nose into her neck. _I love you, too, Zak._

 _You know there are no more experiments, right? No more._

Milo nodded. _I know. I'm sorry for waking you._

Zak smiled, gently rocking her body to sooth her shaking Mate. _Shh,_ she whispered, _go back to sleep. No more experiments,_ she promised, _not now, not ever._

Milo's eyes fluttered, as did his heart, as his mind was sent back to sleep and to a better place.

Maybe with enough time, a little patience, and a lot of love, Zak could help move past this nightmare his life had become.

The experiments were over.

 **(1) Milo keeps his backpack with him whenever he can. This happened to be one of the few missions he could. Luckily, the scientists let him keep it. He has at least three pairs of spare clothes in it.**

 **(2) Sexual experiments to gauge how his body and Murphy's Law reacted when put under sexual stress. I will not be highlighting those, nor showing anything of the sort, so please don't ask.**

 **(3) Khatar means 'Danger" in Arabic. Yes, Milo knows Arabic; it's a headcannon of mine that Milo knows multiple languages because of accidents that happened with Murphy's Law.**


End file.
